PHOTOS

Mamata Banerjee takes driver's seat to unite Opposition ahead of Presidential polls

In a bid to fight the BJP-led NDA in the upcoming Presidential polls, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday (June 15, 2022) called a meeting of the Opposition parties. As many as 17 opposition parties attended the crucial meeting to build consensus on fielding a joint candidate in the 2022 presidential election.

Zee Media Bureau|

Updated:Jun 15, 2022, 10:52 PM IST

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Opposition leaders meet in Delhi for the upcoming Presidential Poll

Leaders of the Congress, Samajwadi Party, NCP, DMK, RJD and the Left parties attended the over two-hour-long meeting called by the Trinamool Congress supremo, while the AAP, SAD, AIMIM, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and Odisha's ruling BJD skipped it.

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Mamata Banerjee, other party leaders, address a press conference

Leaders of Shiv Sena, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML), National Conference, PDP, JD(S), RSP, IUML, RLD and the JMM were also among those present.

During the meeting, the leaders decided that a common candidate who will "uphold the democratic ethos of the country" will be chosen as the opposition nominee.

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Mamata Banerjee with Sharad Pawar, Mehbooba Mufti during a press conference

The leaders who attended the meeting included NCP's Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel, PDP's Mehbooba Mufti, Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge, Jairam Ramesh and Randeep Surjewala.

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Mamata Banerjee with Akhilesh Yadav, Mehbooba Mufti, Sharad Pawar during the Opposition leaders meeting at Constitution Club of India in New Delhi

The meeting also saw the participation of SP's Akhilesh Yadav, JD(S)'s HD Deve Gowda, and HD Kumaraswamy.

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Mamata Banerjee mentions names of Farooq Abdullah, Gopalkrishna Gandhi as opposition's candidates

At the crucial meet, leaders of several opposition parties also urged NCP supremo Sharad Pawar to be the joint opposition candidate for the presidential election, but the veteran leader once again declined the offer.

As per reports, Mamata Banerjee mentioned the names of National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah and Gopalkrishna Gandhi as other alternatives.

The election to elect a successor to incumbent Ram Nath Kovind would be held on July 18. Kovind had defeated joint opposition nominee Meira Kumar in the last presidential polls.

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Mamata Banerjee with Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge during the meeting of opposition parties.

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Mamata Banerjee with Akhilesh Yadav

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee receives Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

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Mamata Banerjee receiving Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi

Mamata Banerjee receiving Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi before the Opposition leaders meeting for the upcoming Presidential Poll, at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi.

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Mamata Banerjee welcomes Omar Abdullah

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee welcomes J&K National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah for a meeting of opposition parties' leaders regarding upcoming Presidential elections.

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Mamata Banerjee with Mehbooba Mufti

Mamata Banerjee with PDP leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.